BASHLEY all-rounder Ryan Higgins registered an impressive half century as England fell just short in the under-19 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan.

After England openers Jonathan Tattersall and Harry Finch were both dismissed for ducks, Middlesex youngster Higgins got his country back on track by steadily rattling off 52 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

His 50 partnership with top scorer Will Rhodes (76*) was ended when Saifullah Khan stumped the Southern League star on his 99th ball while England went on to clock up 204 for seven off 50 overs.

Pakistan started strongly through Imam-ul-Haq (28) and Sami Aslam (18) but England had hope when quick-fire wickets left their rivals on 57 for four.

However, a 74-run partnership between Saud Shakeel (45) and Ameer Hamza (35) seized the initiative before Zafar Gohar (37*) and Amad Butt (26*) posted an unbeaten 63 to win the clash for Pakistan with five balls to spare.

The showing was one of Higgins’s better performances at the tournament and was trumped only by his 83 off 123 balls in the final Group D match against New Zealand in which he hit five fours and a pair of sixes.

That came after a 19 against United Arab Emirates and just six runs against Sri Lanka. Higgins mustered just one in the quarter-final against India.

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